---
title: "Is Emulation Legal? ROMs, BIOS Files, and What You Need to Know (2026)"
canonical_url: https://emudesk.com/issues/is-emulation-legal-roms-bios-what-you-need-to-know-2026
content_locale: en
source_locale: en
entity_type: issue
index_status: index
published_at: 2026-08-31T18:22:23.000Z
updated_at: 2026-09-01T00:45:02.201Z
freshness_status: fresh
---

# Is Emulation Legal? ROMs, BIOS Files, and What You Need to Know (2026)

I want to use emulators to play old games but I'm not sure if it's legal. I've heard mixed things about emulators, ROMs, and BIOS files — what's actually allowed and what isn't? And did the Yuzu lawsuit change anything?